


A Beautiful Day

by Mollygail



Series: Neal’s New Life [5]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:46:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24058444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mollygail/pseuds/Mollygail
Summary: This is part of the Neal's New Life series and will make more sense if you've read that, but this isn't exactly heavy with a plot. Warning: this might be one of the sappiest things I've written, but you all know I love happy endings.
Relationships: Neal Caffrey/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Neal’s New Life [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1187444
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	A Beautiful Day

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read (or have forgotten) this series, here's a brief outline: Neal left New York at the end of his sentence. He was in a car accident in Indiana and while he was recovering he fell in love and decided to stay. Neal now works for the FBI's Indianapolis bureau and lives in the country with his wife.

‘What a beautiful day,’ Neal thought as he walked into the house after taking care of the morning chores. He placed the basket full of eggs on the counter and was, once again, thankful that he had left New York when he did. Every bad thing that had happened in his life had worked together to bring him to this place of peace and contentment. 

Right now New Yorkers were experiencing the pandemic in a far different way than he and Megan were here in rural Indiana. He’d taken a leave of absence from his job with the Indianapolis division of the FBI because he wanted to protect his pregnant wife from the virus as much as he could. Sure, there were still risks. There was no such thing as complete safety in life. But, you did what you could to minimize the risks by taking precautions. Neal’s philosophy in life; proper planning, preparation, and precautions prevent panic. What was true in a heist was also true in everyday life. 

******

While Neal was in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee his wife was upstairs with tears streaming down her face. This was not going the way she had planned it. When her OB/GYN told her that her pregnancy was perfectly normal and that she and the baby were the pictures of health, Megan had started thinking about the birth. With the concerns over the pandemic, hospitals had taken extreme measures to prevent the spread of the virus. No visitors were allowed to enter the building. Neal wouldn’t be able to be with her when she gave birth. She was a nurse and had assisted in delivering several babies. Her grandmother had given birth to all of her children in this house; there was no reason why Megan couldn’t do the same.

If only she had discussed this with her husband. Now that the moment was here she realized how unfair she had been. 

Another contraction hit and she managed to take the few steps toward the bed so she could lie down. The contractions were close; too close to expect the ambulance to get here in time. When the contraction eased she took a deep breath and screamed, “NEAL…NEAL!”

Neal sprang up from his chair at the kitchen table and rushed as fast as he could up the stairs. He quickly made his way to the bed and grabbed Megan’s hand as she experienced another contraction. When it passed he reached for the phone and dialed 911.

“I need an ambulance. My wife is in labor.”

“……..”

“I don’t know.” He turned to Megan and asked, “how far apart are the contractions?”

“Maybe two minutes or less. I’m sorry, Neal.” Tears were streaming down her face as she pleaded with him to understand. “I wanted you to be there when the baby’s born.” Another contraction hit and she tried to remember everything she’d learned in her pregnancy classes. 

Neal spoke to the 911 operator, “the contractions are really close. I don’t think the ambulance will get here before the baby. Do you have someone there who can talk me through this?”

“Yes, don’t hang up, I’ll get someone more experienced to take this call.” 

Neal pushed the button on the phone to turn on the speaker mode and set the phone down on the table. He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and threw it off. He walked to the bathroom, grabbed some towels, and quickly returned to the bedroom. He saw Megan’s medical bag on the floor next to the bedside table. There were clamps, scissors, and sponges laid out on a clean towel on the table. He sat down on the bed and held Megan’s hand. 

“You planned this?”

“I’m sorry, Neal. I should have discussed it with you. If anything happens…”

“Shush. Don’t be sorry. You made a plan; so we’ll work the plan.” He spoke to her in a soothing voice as he used all of his skills to suppress any panic that might arise. Panic was the enemy in any crisis. 

He wished Mozzie was here.

“Sir, are you still there? I’m going to transfer your call to an experienced EMT. He’ll talk you through this.”

“Ok, thanks.”

The next ten minutes went by quickly. When Megan had told Neal she was pregnant he had read every book he could find about pregnancy and childbirth. Research was vital in any new undertaking. His knowledge combined with the EMT’s instructions and Megan’s experience almost made the birth easy for Neal. Almost… 

He could hear the sirens of the ambulance in the distance as he gently placed his crying, newborn son in Megan’s arms. He thanked the 911 operators and disconnected the call. He slowly took a few calming breaths and fought to blink back the tears of relief. “Well, Megan, have you decided on a name for our son?” He smiled gently at her as he wiped the last of her tears from her cheek. 

“Caffrey Connor Benett.”

“Connor? I’m not sure that’s a good name for the son of a former conman. How about Caffrey Collin?” Megan nodded and Neal kissed her gently. They were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell and Neal stood up to go let the EMTs in. 

Them EMTs examined Megan and the baby and were preparing to transport mother and baby to the hospital but Megan refused to go. 

“Why do I need to go to the hospital? I’m fine and the baby is fine. Home births are common in other countries.” Megan had a stubborn look on her freckled face. 

“Megan, please let them take care of you.” Neal loved his wife and though they’d only known each other for less than a year he was quite familiar with her stubborn streak. “Please. I just want what’s best for you and the baby.”

“What’s best is for me to be home, with you taking care of us.”

Neal sighed and knew he would lose this argument unless he could pull an ace out of his sleeve. “Let’s call you doctor and ask her opinion. Will you agree to follow her advice?”

Megan frowned but nodded her head. Neal called the doctor and explained the situation. The phone was passed to the EMT and then to Megan. Much to Neal’s surprise, the doctor said she would make a house call, and if she thought a trip to the hospital was necessary she would transport them to the hospital herself. 

Neal escorted the EMTs to the door and thanked them before returning to Megan. He stood in the doorway and took in the sight of his wife holding his son. Megan looked up and smiled at her husband. 

Neal returned the smile and shook his head in amazement. “You do realize that I should be angry at you for not discussing this with me ahead of time, right?”

“Yes, dear,” Megan said in her best imitation of a submissive wife before she spoiled the act with a mischievous smile followed by a giggle. 

Neal laughed briefly and walked across the room to sit next to Megan on the bed. “Please, never do anything this crazy and impulsive again.” He gently caressed her cheek and then kissed her softly on the lips. “Promise me you won’t ever do something like this again.”

“I promise. I was wrong not to discuss it with you. I’m sorry. Can you forgive me.”

“Of course.” He paused and tilted his head thoughtfully. “How long until the doctor gets here?”

“She said she’d be here in about a half-hour. Why?”

Neal stood up and went to get his iPad. He sat next to Megan and propped the tablet up on a pillow at the end of the bed. He opened the FaceTime app, started a call, and put his arm around Megan.

“Neal, I must look horrible.” Megan quickly combed her fingers through her hair and straightened it up the best she could. 

Neal leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

They were interrupted by the sound of Peter clearing his throat. Neal looked at the tablet with the biggest smile Peter had ever seen. 

“Elizabeth, come see this,” Peter called out to El and she hurried in from the kitchen.

“Hey, guys. It’s a boy. Caffrey Collin Bennett.”

“Oh, Neal,” Elizabeth said softly, “that’s just wonderful. How’s the new Mommy? Megan, how are you feeling? How much does the baby weigh? Tell me all about it.”

“I’m fine, Elizabeth. But, we don’t know how much he weighs yet. Umm…” She looked at Neal with a guilty expression. 

Neal looked at Megan before turning back to the tablet. “My lovely, impulsive wife decided to give birth at home without telling me. She went into labor and didn’t tell me until it was too late to get to the hospital. I delivered the baby myself. The doctor is going to make a house call to check up on them.”

“Wow, I can’t even imagine…” Elizabeth was amazed by Megan’s having kept such a big decision from her husband. “Neal, you must have been nearly panicked when you found out.”

“Neal doesn’t do panic, Hon.” 

Neal laughed. “It was close for a minute.” Neal looked over at his wife and son and blinked quickly as he fought back the tears. “Well, we’re expecting the doctor soon so…I’ll call you back later, okay?”

“Sure, Neal. Congratulations, Buddy.”

Neal disconnected the video call and then bent down to pick up his son. “Welcome to the world, Caffrey. You and your mom are the most important people in the world to me. I’m sure I won’t be the best father in the world but I promise to do my best.”

The doorbell rang and Neal reluctantly handed his son to Megan. As he walked down the stairs to answer the door he remembered his thoughts as he walked in the house after his morning chores. It truly was a beautiful day; the most beautiful day of his life…so far.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, I hope it wasn't too sappy. Comments and kudos are like sunshine and warm breezes in my otherwise humdrum life. :)


End file.
